Love Knows No Bounds
by mayarox95
Summary: A.U. Lieutenant Duckling fic. Captain and Lieutenant narrowly escaped the Dreamshade of Neverland, as King George ordered them to obtain. Unable to return to their kingdom, they seek refugee in that of Snow and David's. When Killian Jones meets the Princess Emma, he is sure she is as stuck up as the rest of the royalty he has met, but he's in for a surprise.


**Love Knows No Bounds**

"I'm telling you, Liam," Killian urged his older brother. "Dreamshade is no good! It's a poisonous plant, and seeking it out will do us absolutely no good! Why can't you just leave it, and let us leave this godforsaken land?"

They had been arguing about it for the past hour. He hated this entire mission, but he was obliged to go upon it. After all, it was his brother who was his captain; it was his brother who saved him after he had been turned to a life on the street once his father abandoned them, and his mother died. It was his brother who put him through navy school, and it was his brother who recruited him as a part of his crew, and let his work his way up to lieutenant of the Jewel of the Realm. So it was safe to say that he owed his brother quite a bit.

When they were given their mission, Killian was sceptical. A plant that could be used to heal illnesses of all types was what they were after. Could such a plant even exist? He wanted to believe it were true; maybe then more families would be kept together, instead of torn away, like their mother had been.

However the King they had sailed under, George was as corrupt as they came. He had been blinded before, but that boy, Pan had placed a seed of doubt in his mind, which was growing deeper and deeper. He had voiced his concerns several times to Liam, in hopes that his brother would abort the mission before one of them were hurt, or even worse, killed.

"Killian, what would that little boy know of anything? Besides, the King has personally asked this of us. What would you rather us do, go back empty handed because we were too much of cowards to go through with what the King had requested of us? He'll have our heads!" Liam said, and he could tell his brother was frustrated with him.

The crew was trailing behind them. He had no idea of whether they agreed or disagreed with them as they refused to say a word.

Liam came to a stop suddenly, as he held up the drawing of the plant that George had given them. "I think this is it!" He said, his voice holding excitement.

He began to reach for it, but Killian yelled out, "No! Don't touch it, please! Not until we determine if it's safe or not."

He knew Liam was seriously annoyed, but he tried not to let it show. "Well men, seeing that my brother refuses to believe that this plant is one of healing, how do you propose we go about testing the safety of the plant?"

There were various suggestions being thrown around; get an animal to test it, poke it with a stick; run _Pan_ into it to see what happened. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples; he knew he was going to get a long lecture for his disobedience tonight, but it would be worth it.

"Let me just do it!" a sailor's voice, Gibbs, cried out in annoyance at the entire argument. Before Killian could stop him, he stepped forward, and grabbed a handful of the plant in his hand. He held his breath, waiting to see if something would happen, knowing it was too late to stop him.

The entire crew watched, and waited, but nothing seemed to happen. Liam clapped him on the back and said, "See, brother? I told you nothing would happen!" The entire crew began to laugh, Gibbs included.

However his voice began to choke up and his veins turned black. It was clear that there was poison running through his veins, stopping his heart from beating, and preventing air to enter his lungs.

"Someone do something!" Another sailor cried out, as they watched the life drain from Gibbs' body.

The ship's healer came forward, and immediately began to inspect the body, "He's gone."

Killian could see the pain in Liam's face, and knew his brother blamed himself for Gibbs' death.

"I told you the plant was poison," Pan's voice said, somewhat tauntingly. "If only you had listened to your brother, Liam, then maybe you wouldn't be down a sailor."

"Please, do something!" Liam said with a note of pleading in his voice. "There must be something on this island that can cure him and get rid of the poison."

Pan pretended to be thinking about it, as he held up a vial of a clear substance. "This is a cure for the Dreamshade. However it has a dire price. Think wisely about whether you want it."

"Of course we want it!" Killian told the boy, as he held out his hand.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Pan said with a wicked smile. "Magic always comes with a price." He handed them a vial of a clear liquid.

However, they paid the boy no attention as they fed Gibbs the liquid into his mouth. They waited not more than a half minute, as Gibbs began to gasp for breath, before resuming a normal pattern. He was alive.

They agreed to go back to the ship, and get off the island before they made their plans for what to do next. What they hadn't anticipated was Gibbs collapsing the moment they hit the sea in the Enchanted Forest. The price to be paid was that the magic of the concoction only worked in Neverland. They gave him a proper burial fit for the best of sailors. They were filled with despair to lose one of their own, not because of a hard battle, but because of a king filled with greed, wanting a weapon that could wipe out hundreds. One thing was sure; they couldn't go back to George's kingdom, not after everything that had happened. If it were up to Killian, they would just sail the seas as free men; however, Liam it was who still in charge.

* * *

And so, they found themselves seeking the audience of King David and Queen Snow. It was no secret across the lands that they were the most noble, fair, and kind rulers to grace the Enchanted Forest in many years. She had met him when on the run from the Evil Queen Regina, her stepmother who had poisoned her father for the crown. Rumour was that she wanted Snow dead for her beauty, however it was more than that; with Snow gone, Regina got complete reign of the land. David was a farm boy, whose brother, James, was adopted and raised by none other than George himself. When James had come to a fatal end, George had attempted to pass David off as his own to merge the kingdom's to King Midas, a much richer ruler with a finger that could turn anything to gold. When David and Snow met, they had an instant connection, and together they battled Regina and gained back her kingdom. Their love story was legendary, transcending throughout the realms.

Killian had no doubt that the dreamshade would have been used as a weapon against David and Snow's kingdom, as after eighteen years of war, they had reached a stalemate.

"So you're telling me that King George sent you to a foreign land to retrieve a plant which you had been told was a healing agent, when in fact it was a deathly one, so he could use it against us?" The king said, as eyebrows rose.

"It does sound like something he would do," Queen Snow murmured to him.

They had sailed to the kingdom and sought refuge under grounds of being traitors to their king, under grounds of doing what was right.

The King was cautious of course; the Captain and his crew could be spies, or sent in as assassins. And so, when asked, Liam told them the tale of their adventure to hopefully prove their truthfulness.

"I know," King David said back to his wife, as he took her hand. "I'm just glad that your crew got out of there, and without the plant. Can you imagine the consequences if something like that would have gotten released into the Enchanted Forest? The results would have been catastrophic, not only for our kingdom, but for all of them.

"I am sorry for the loss of your crewmate. I know how they can be like family to you, and the loss must have been hard on all of you," Queen Snow, with a genuinely sympathetic tone. It shocked him; while he had heard of her kindness, he hadn't expected that they would care for the life of a man with a station much below theirs.

"We can offer you asylum here, for as long as you would like. If you wish to live your life here, then you can join our Navy, keeping your current titles, crew, and ship, or you can get a job as something else, if you do not want to return to the Navy. However, you do not need to stay here if you do not wish to," the Queen told them.

It was rare, but not unheard of, for a woman to rule equally side with a man. The kingdom of Aurora and Philip, Ella and Thomas, as well as Ariel and Eric were a few others that he knew of. It didn't surprise him that they had equal reign, seeing how much of partners they appeared to be.

"You also can have lodgings in our castle; we have several spare rooms for your entire crew to occupy while you are here," the king added onto his wife's offer.

"We thank you for your generosity. If it were not too much to ask, could my brother and I have a few days to think about what we would like to do? We had not much time to consider our options after leaving Neverland," Liam said with respect.

"Of course," the Queen said with warmth. "Now, it is still early, and we have not had breakfast yet. Would you and your crew care to join us?"

"Thank you for your offer. It has been a long journey, and some food would be amazing," Killian said for the first time since their arrival.

Liam looked at him with warmth, and squeezed his hand. His brother had not said anything in terms of scolding about his lack of discipline while on the island, as it had been a hard ordeal for them both. While Liam was his brother, he never treated Killian any differently because of it from the rest of the crew. However since they had left, Liam had been a lot softer on him, seeing that if Killian didn't raise his suspicions so much, it probably would have been Liam who touched the plant.

David stood up and offered his arm to his wife. "We better hurry up and get to dinner, otherwise my daughter may eat all the food," he said with a smile.

He had heard about their daughter. Apparently she had her mother's beauty, her father's courage, and both of their strength. However if there was one thing he knew, it was princesses. They were conceited and arrogant, selfish beyond measure, and self-centred. Tales about the daughters of great rulers were often exaggerated to seem far nicer than they truly were, but Killian knew better.

Sure enough, when they got to the table, the princess was seated towards the head. While her beauty had not been exaggerated, he had yet to find out about her personality. The rest of the crew were sitting right beside her, chatting joyfully with her.

While she had not started eating, like her father claimed she would, she seemed to be slightly on edge.

"Finally," she said with a teasing smile. "I was beginning to suspect that you had gotten lost."

"Funny, Emma. However did you come up with that?" her father said with a roll of the eye. "Wait, maybe it's from using it every morning."

The King and Queen sat at the head of the table, while Liam sat across from the princess. The only place left was right beside her. Stifling a sigh, he took the seat, without as much of a glance at her.

"Don't worry about it," the princess said with a smile. "I've been hearing the most wonderful tales of adventure."

Killian thought for sure that the King would scold his crew for telling her tales that were probably not fit for a lady's ears. However, he simply laughed. "Nice to know you weren't bored."

They ate together, with laughter and happiness, and throughout it, he watched the interaction, talking at a bare minimum. After they had finished eating, the King turned to the Princess.

"Emma, perhaps you could show the Captain and Lieutenant around the castle? They are going to be staying here indefinitely, and it would be good for them to know their way around."

She smiled, "Of course!" she said brightly. "If you aren't doing anything, we could go right now!" she paused. "Unless you're tired. From what I understood, it was a long journey, and if you wish to get some rest first then I can just take you to your rooms, and we can go around the castle another time." She had a faint blush on her cheeks as if she didn't even consider the probability that they hadn't wanted to go then.

Liam simply smiled at her, "A tour now would be lovely, would it not, Killian?" his brother asked him pointedly. He could tell his brother was somewhat pointing out that he had been quieter than usual all throughout breakfast, and that he was being impolite to their hosts.

"Of course, your highness," Killian said, trying to keep any note of distaste out of his voice.

She stood up from her chair, "Shall we, gentlemen?"

Liam held out his arm to escort her, and she gave him a smile as she slipped her arm through his.

Killian barely paid attention as she went on about different facts about the castle, pointing out several rooms, all of which he was sure was out of bounds for him. Liam seemed to be having fun conversing with her, and from the smile on his face, Killian wondered if he had feelings of the romantic nature for the princess. It didn't bother him because of her station, but because of her age. She was eighteen, a good few years younger than him, and definitely several years younger than his brother. While the age gap was not unheard of, it still bothered him, especially since she seemed to be as equally taken with him.

A messenger came up to them just then and interrupted, "I'm sorry, your highness for interrupting, but the King needs to speak with the Captain immediately."

She could have huffed. She could have insisted that his brother stayed longer with her, and that her father would just have to wait. But the Princess did none of those things.

Instead, Emma simply smiled, "Of course, John. Captain Jones, it was nice being able to converse with you. Hopefully whatever matter my father has to speak to you about is of a pleasant nature. I look forward to seeing you soon."

Liam reached for her hand and placed a kiss on it. "I hate to have to cut our tour short. Perhaps you can continue to show my brother around the castle?"

"Are you sure you do not request my presence, Brother?" Killian asked, trying not to sound desperate. There was no way he was staying alone with the Princess if he could help it.

"Nonsense," Liam said with a smile. "There's no need for us both to be dragged away from someone as lovely as you, Princess."

She blushed, somehow looking utterly dainty while doing so. "It was a pleasure, Captain. Until next time, I bid you farewell."

Liam followed the messenger away, leaving Killian all alone with the princess.

"It must be wonderful being able to sail around the realms with your brother," she said after a moment, attempting to make conversation with him.

"Except for nearly dying, yes I would say it has been," Killian said, attempting to keep the disdain out of his voice. "But working for a corrupt King will do that to you."

"I'm sorry," she said, sounding sincere. "I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort. Neverland must have been horrible."

'_What would you know about it?'_ Killian thought bitterly. _'You're just a princess who has been sheltered her entire life. You know nothing of the outside world, or of its hardships.'_

"Yes, it was."

She seemed to take his silence for not wanting to discuss the matter any further. So she prattled on leading him about the castle and telling him about the various rooms. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Why don't we just stop?" Killian said, as he stood still in the middle of the hallway.

She frowned, "I'm sorry! Are you tired? I hadn't even realised."

"I mean stop the act. You don't have to pretend to give a damn about me anymore. Just go back to whatever it is you normally do. I won't even tell my brother about it," he said strongly. "I don't need to have a spoiled princess babysit me."

She blinked. But that quickly vanished. "Look. I know you haven't had the best impression of royal families. But that does not give you the right to presume to know me, Lieutenant. I _wanted_ to show you around, but it is clear that you do not wish for me to do so. So I'll leave you. If you get lost, ask one of the staff. They will be more than happy to escort you back to your room. Good day, Lieutenant."

She turned and walked away with a huff. He stood there, watching her leave, not feeling the least bit guilty. So he had called her out on her act. It wasn't his fault if it offended her that he got it right.

He began to wander away from where he was, in an attempt to find the room she had pointed out a while back as his. The King and Queen had given both his brother and he separate rooms, and several rooms for the rest of the crew to share in one of the guest wings. It was more than generous of them.

After walking around for about an hour, he hated to admit it, but he was lost.

He spotted a serving boy walking by with a bundle of clothes.

"Boy," he addressed, in a polite tone. "Could you please escort me back to my room? I seem to have gotten lost."

"Was the princess not with you?" the boy asked in confusion.

"She had other things to take care of," Killian said, trying to cover up for what he had said to her.

He frowned, "It's unlike her to do such a thing. In all the time I've been here, she would personally walk a guest back to their rooms to make sure they didn't get lost. It must have been something serious to draw her away."

He wondered why the princess would do such a thing. Perhaps it would make her look better to potential suitors in the future.

"What's the princess like?" Killian asked, unable to keep her curiosity in. Young children often had a way of speaking the truth, even if they didn't say it flat out.

"Princess Emma? She's the kindest soul I've ever met; she takes after both her parents like that. Honestly, she's nicer than some of the noble woman who have come to the castle. She takes her duties seriously, but she doesn't take it to mean that she's better than any one of the rest of us. I remember once when I was having a really bad day, she sat down with me for a few hours to make sure that I was okay, and then insisted that I join her and her parents for dinner," he said softly as he recalled an even seemed to be painful for him.

Killian frowned, wondering if he had been wrong about the princess.

* * *

Emma walked around the castle after leaving Lieutenant Jones behind. She had no idea what his problem was, but clearly he didn't seem to like her very much. She tried not to let it bother her, but it still did. Had she somehow insulted him with something she said without realising it?

She shook her head to push al the feelings out of her head. She could always figure it out later. Emma barely even noticed that she walked straight into two people.

"Sorry!" Emma cried, as she looked up to see who she bumped into.

"Is that anyway to greet your godmother?" she heard a familiar voice call out.

"Red!" Emma said happily as she wrapped her arms around her. She looked over to see Graham, the huntsman, standing right beside her. He had been taken in by her mother after Regina was defeated, and had chosen his own human name. Red and he had gotten together about a year later, and when Emma was born, seeing how close the couple were to her parents, they had been named her godparents.

She let go of Red and hugged Graham back too, "How was your trip?" she asked them both. The couple had gone on a diplomatic voyage over to Ariel and Eric's kingdom to arrange a new trade of seafood in exchange for grain, and had been gone for the past few weeks.

"Went off without a hitch," Graham said with a smile as he released her.

"Speaking of which, I got you a dress for your ball," Red squealed.

"What's it like?" Emma asked, excited. Her mother and her godmother often bought her a wonderful selection of clothes, and she loved being able to wear them. "Will my father approve?"

"Of course not," Red rolled her eyes, "But trust me, when you're in it, you'll be the Belle of the Ball."

"Your father is probably going to kill me for letting my wife buy it," Graham groaned. "I'm too young to die."

Red kissed him softly on the lips, "Don't worry, sweetie, Snow and I will protect you."

Emma giggled as she watched the two of them interact. She loved her mother and father, but their love seemed so unattainable at times. It was the definition of a pure sweet love, and she worried that she would never get anything like that for herself. But Red and Graham were far more _real_, and it gave her hope.

* * *

Killian went into the market the next day. The castle was beautiful, but he needed a change of scenery. Besides, if he was going to live there for who knows how long, then had he better get acquainted with the town around it.

He had been talking to a sales lady at a random stall of antiquities when he heard the commotion. He quickly paid for the item, and then moved forward to see what was happening. He wasn't really surprised when he saw the princess there, talking with the villagers, laughing at their jokes, and seeming generally very merry.

He was slightly surprised to see her with very little protection; only with a single guard, who wasn't watching her anywhere near close enough to give her any protection if something were to happen. It was either very brave of her, or very stupid.

"You must tell me how your wife is doing!" she said, seeming generally interested, as she talked to one of the older men.

The man smiled at her, "My Millie is doing better, dear, and she'll be pleased to know you asked about her."

"Send my regards and best wishes," Emma said, sounding concerned. "And if you ever need anything for her treatment, then come up to the castle, or send a messenger, and I'll send over one of our physicians. Millie is a charming woman, and I would hate for her to get worse."

The man said his goodbyes, and the princess immediately got wrapped up in a conversation with another young couple and their child.

Such behaviour continued for nearly twenty more minutes, but Emma didn't seem to mind as she greeted them all personally. When the crowd had cleared away, he had decided to approach her. He couldn't really help it; something about her drew himself to her.

"Princess," he greeted, as he gave her a nod.

She seemed slightly confused to see him, but she tried to conceal it. "Lieutenant," she said, smiling, even though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Enjoying the town?"

"Yes, I wanted to see how the markets in this region were," Killian said carefully. "But I must ask how you are here all alone?"

"What do you mean?" she frowned.

"Well you only have one guard around you, yet you so freely come here and mingle with the commoners even though someone could easily harm you. Do your parents know about your tactics? I doubt they would be too pleased to find out," Killian raised an eyebrow at her.

She seemed to get angry at that, "They're not commoners. Just because they weren't born to status doesn't make them below me. They are people, and they have many fascinating things happening in their lives. If I'm going to be their Queen one day then they deserve to know that I care about them, and not the power. What kind of ruler doesn't even go out and get to know about the people who they are ruling over? And for your information, none of them would hurt me. I care about them, and they care about me too. My parents know that I am capable of taking care of myself. I have no idea what your problem is with me, Lieutenant, but I don't care enough to find out. Good bye, Lieutenant Jones, and I hope you have a good day here," she said, as she turned and marched away.

The Princess began conversing with other people, and Killian couldn't help but wonder about her. Her words had hit him harder than he would have expected. She definitely wasn't like any of the other princesses he had come to know, and he felt as if he owed her an apology for continuously screwing up around her.

* * *

Over the next few weeks he barely encountered the Princess, other than at meal times, and occasionally in the hallways. Liam often had conversations with her, and would keep telling him that he needed to come and join them one day because he would greatly enjoy them, but Killian kept putting it off.

The truth was that he was ashamed. She clearly wasn't what he suspected her to be, and in believing that she was, he ruined any chance at friendship between the two of them.

Liam and Killian were chatting on one of the balconies of the castle as they overlooked the courtyard. He had been telling Killian all about one of the latest discussions he had with the Princess and it was full of such intellectual matters, but Killian supposed he didn't have the right to be surprised by it anymore.

On the courtyard, King David was practicing his swordsmanship with a dummy, but immediately pulled away when he heard a familiar voice.

"Sorry I'm late," Killian heard the Princess address her father.

He looked down, and saw that she wasn't wearing any sort of fancy dress, but was wearing trousers which would be perfect for fighting. They weren't manly ones, however, so Killian supposed she had them custom made. In her hand, she was holding a large sword as if it had no weight to it, and her hair was tied back so it would not be in her face.

"I was beginning to think you got lost," the King teased his daughter. "Are you sure you're ready for this? It's been a while since we last fought, and I would hate to defeat you easily."

She laughed, "Please, Father. You know that I could beat you any day, and are just saying that because you're afraid."

Killian watched as her father drew his sword to her, and the pair of them began fighting. He was mesmerized as he watched her move, swinging her sword effortlessly, yet still having a good technique.

"She's really something, isn't she?" he heard Liam breath as he watched the Princess' sword clash with her father's.

He felt a surge of jealousy flow through him. If only he hadn't been stupid enough to screw up around her; then he wouldn't have to listen to tales about her, but could be the one who got to talk to her like his older brother.

"Do you fancy her?" Killian asked, trying to sound teasing, but felt a bit of fear. It wasn't proper for a Captain to be with a Princess, but it was better than a Lieutenant, he supposed.

Liam laughed, "She's a wondrous creature, but no. I harbour no romantic notions towards the Princess. She has become somewhat of a sister to me."

Killian felt himself take a breath of relief as he said that. It also shouldn't have surprised him that Emma won against her father.

* * *

He didn't see her again for the next week, but when he did, she was in the gardens, laying on her back as she gazed up into the sky. It wouldn't have been anything surprising, if not for the fact that it were in the middle of the night.

Realizing that it was killing him to not talk to her, he walked down to where she was and sat beside her. When she noticed him, she jumped.

"Lieutenant Jones," she said, somewhat stiffly, "Is there something I can assist you with?"

"No, Lass," Killian said softly. "It is I who owe you something, an apology."

"What for?" she asked in confusion, clearly unsure of what his intentions were.

"I judged you before I knew you, simply because of your position. I automatically assumed that you would be like every other princess I encountered; spoiled, uncaring, and cruel. Yet I placed those same labels upon you, and it wasn't fair of me to do so, when you're clearly so different from them. I should have apologised sooner, but I was ashamed of my actions."

She sat up to face him, and her blonde hair was released from any sort of manner to keep it formal. He liked it like this, as it reflected her free spirit. The Princess was analysing him, and he was quite aware of that fact, as she looked at him trying to see if he had been honest with his statement.

"Consider it forgotten," she said softly.

"So what brings you out here in the middle of the night, Princess?" he asked her, relieved that she could be kind enough not to hold a grudge.

"The stars," she explained. "I've been watching them for years now, always trying to map them out and find any constellations based upon the books I've read on the subject."

"If you want, I can show you," Killian offered her.

Her eyes shone in excitement, "Really? I've never had a teacher for it, and I would love to get to learn the subject properly."

"Aye," he smiled, as he lay back on the red blanket which she had been lying on earlier. She lay down beside him, and he pointed out constellation after constellation, telling her how to identify them, and how to know which star was what. He showed her how to use them for navigation when at sea and how to use it to find your way home. She listened intently, and pointed out what patterns she had noticed over the years.

He told her a fable about the knight in the sky, and when he looked over, he noticed she had dozed off. Killian didn't take any offense to it however; it was rather late, and she needed sleep. She looked so peaceful, and he didn't want to wake her from her slumber. He didn't want to leave her out alone, yet he didn't want to fall asleep beside her and have her honour questioned. So he picked her up in his arms to carry her to her bedchambers. It was only after he got up a flight of stairs that he realised that he had no idea where they were. Her head was nested into his chest.

"Last door on the left," a soft voice said. Killian saw the Queen standing there, with a shawl over her arms.

"Your highness," Killian said in shock. "It isn't what you think!" He was worried that she would get the wrong impression, and have him executed or something of a similar matter.

"I'm sure it's exactly what I think," Queen Snow said. "Emma fell asleep stargazing again, but you decided to bring her inside."

"I-well yes, your Highness," Killian said sheepishly. "That's exactly what happened. I just didn't want her to wake up feeling sore tomorrow from the ground, and thought it would be best."

"I'll let you continue on," the Queen said, with a knowing smile. "I'm sure Emma will be grateful to you in the morning."

Killian bid her a goodnight and continued down the hallway. He opened the doors and gently placed Emma on her bed. He took off her shoes, then covered her with her blankets, and left the room.

* * *

Emma woke up the next morning in her bed, and was confused. How did she get here? She didn't remember leaving the garden yesterday after talking to Lieutenant Jones.

She smiled at the thought of their conversation. He was a wonderful gentleman, and she assumed that it was him who brought her up to her room. She had enjoyed having him talk about the stars, and knew he held a passion for it. She would have to find a way to thank him for everything.

Emma knew she would be lying if she said she was affected by him. He was handsome sure enough, but when they talked yesterday, _really_ talked, it was the first time she had ever had a conversation with someone who seemed to be able to read her like an open book. It should scare her, but for some reason, she didn't really mind it all too much.

As her mother told her what had transpired the night before when she fell asleep, she was slightly embarrassed. And when Emma saw him again, she made a point to thank him profusely for returning her to her chambers, while blushing at the mention of it. He simply gave her a smile, telling her that he didn't mind doing so. She asked him if he would want to meet again that night for him to teach her more about the stars, and he gladly accepted. She wasn't sure if it was during their time together then, or during the trips they took together to the market place. Days turned to weeks, and her feelings only seemed to grow stronger as each moment passed. Something was slowly changing between the two of them, and she needed to talk to someone.

"Red," Emma said, as she ran to catch up with her godparents, "Hey, Graham, do you mind if I borrow Red for a bit? I really need to talk to her."

They had been enjoying the gardens when Emma found them, just sitting down and talking casually. She hated interrupting them, but she really, _really_, needed her. Emma loved her mother to death, but she was afraid to talk to her about it, seeing that she probably would end up telling her father.

Graham looked at her, slightly concerned, "Sounds serious. Go ahead, Emma," he said, as he placed a peck on his wife's lips.

When her husband had left them, Red turned to her, "Does this have to do with the gorgeous Lieutenant that you've been spending a lot of time with lately?"

She blushed, "Is it that obvious?" she asked her.

Red shook her head, "Only because I know you so well."

"I don't know what to do," Emma said softly. "I just have all these feelings about him, and he plagues my thoughts at all hours of the day, and then haunts my dreams at night. I want to be in his company all the time."

"It sounds like you love him," Red told her gently.

"What do I do?" Emma asked her carefully. She was afraid she would do something stupid, and ruin everything between the two of them.

"Tell him," Red said, as she took her hand. "It scared me too when I fell for Graham, but I took a chance, and it worked out for me. But Emma, you won't know how he feels about you unless you tell him how you feel."

Emma took a deep breath. She had never had to do anything in her life that scared her as much, and she would one day be running a country.

"Okay," Emma said nervously. She would tell him a few days from now, on the day of her annual birthday ball.

* * *

Emma fixed her hair nervously in the mirror as her mother stood behind her, lacing her up. She was wearing the red gown Red had bought her a while back, and her hair was up in a tight updo.

"You look beautiful," Snow said with a large smile. "He won't be able to keep his eyes off of you tonight."

"Who?" Emma asked, nervously.

"Lieutenant Jones,' Snow looked at her pointedly, clearly wondering when she was planning on telling her.

"I was afraid," Emma confessed, as she turned to face her mother, looking down.

"Why?" her mother asked her, as she tilted Emma's face up with her hand gently.

"You and Father have a perfect marriage. You feel in love, basically, at first sight, and even when you argue, you always make up. I don't know if something like that can happen to me," Emma whispered. "What if I'm not meant to be loved like that?"

Snow pulled her into a tight hug, "Emma, you are meant to have a happy ending. Maybe your marriage might not be as 'perfect' as mine, or maybe it will be more so than anyone else's, but don't doubt yourself. You'll never know unless you take a leap of faith."

She hugged her back, "Thanks," Emma said softly. Her mother pulled away, and held her hand down to escort Emma to the ball.

* * *

Killian had been nervous all night, making small talk with his brother, and other people who had been invited to the Princess' ball.

When she descended down the stairs, he couldn't help but watch in awe. Princess Emma had always been beautiful, but seeing her today was life changing. She was like a vision, and he couldn't look away from her.

As she made it to the bottom, she began talking to her guests, dancing with a few patrons, and even Liam. Finally, when the music changed again, she was all alone, leaving him free to approach her.

"I never got a chance to wish you a happy birthday, Princess," Killian breathed, as he picked up her hand and kissed it. "Could I get a dance?"

She nodded, as she intertwined one hand with his, and placed the other on his shoulder. "Thanks," she smiled, "And call me Emma. Princess is far too formal, and I feel as if we're long past formalities."

He smiled at her, "As long as you call me Killian," he said, twirling her around.

She laughed as he did so, and when he looked at her beautiful face, he had to say something to her. He had known since their first star gazing get together, but had struggled with it and his morals. He was just a Lieutenant after all.

"Emma," he said softly, as he stroked her cheek. "I don't have any expectations of you. I'm not trying to put you in a bad position, or force you to do anything. But I cannot hide how I feel for you any longer. Emma, I was so wrong when I judged you when I first met you. In Neverland, if I hadn't been pushing my brother so much, there's a chance it would have been him who got poisoned by the Dreamshade and died, and that thought has been running through my head ever since. I took out my anger of King George on you, and I was so unfair to you, yet you found it in your heart to forgive me, and let me get to know you. You're kind and compassionate, and I've never seen a princess come close to genuinely caring for her people as you do. You're capable of holding intelligent conversations, and fighting for yourself, with no need for anyone to defend you. You admit when you don't know something, and let others teach you, and you're absolutely beautiful. Emma, I love you, but I know that I'm just a lieutenant. I can't offer you anything close to what other noblemen and princes can, and I cannot expect you to even consider me as a suitor."

She cut him off as she placed a kiss on his lips. He was surprised, but he kissed her back, enjoying the feel of her tender lips upon his.

"When have I ever given you the impression that I cared about titles?" Emma asked him as she pulled away. "My mother was a bandit for years before she reclaimed her kingdom, and my father was a shepherd. Killian, I was going to tell you tonight, and then you stole my thunder by going first. But it doesn't change what I wanted to say. I love you too. I love how you get so excited when you talk about the stars, and I love how you keep me company for hours as we talk about everything and anything. I love how when you smile your face glows like a sun, and I love how dedicated you are to your duty. I don't care if you're a lieutenant, because I love you, not your title."

He smiled at her confession, not expecting it in the slightest, but it didn't matter to him. He pulled her into another kiss, but this time it was slower than before, as they took more time to really get to know one another.

* * *

Snow stood beside Captain Jones as she watched Emma get her happy ending. She smiled at the sight, happy that things were working out for her daughter.

David walked over to where she was standing, "Looks like our daughter's got herself a suitor," he said with a smile.

"I'm so sorry, your Highnesses," Liam said embarrassed. "Killian should know better than to kiss a princess, especially that of a host that has been far more than kind to us." He started to walk towards the couple, but Snow intervened.

She placed a hand to stop him from going, "Let them be, Captain. Your brother makes Emma genuinely happy, and it doesn't matter to us that he isn't royalty."

He seemed hesitant, but David placed a hand on his shoulder, "Seriously, Captain Jones, you don't need to worry about it. Love isn't something which you can apply where convenient in terms of titles. If Emma and Killian love each other, who are we to stand in the way of True Love? It's rare enough as it is."

Liam relaxed at that, "Thank you, your Highness. Neverland was hard on Killian, and I began to think he would forever be cynical of the world, but the Princess managed to put hope in her once more."

Snow held her husband's hand as she watched her daughter laugh at something Killian was saying while they danced together. She wouldn't have guessed that the two would work out to be happy together when she first met Lieutenant and Captain Jones came to their land. She knew her husband was slightly put out that he wouldn't be the only man in her life anymore, but like her, he was just glad she had found someone she loved as much as they loved each other.

* * *

Emma has been married to Killian Jones for exactly six months before her father had told him that he needed to go on a mission. She begged him to send someone else, but it had to be them. No one else had experience with the pirate Blackbeard like the members of the Jewel of the Realm.

He had courted her for nearly a year before finally getting permission from her parents to marry her. When he asked her for her hand, it had been during one of their star gazing nights. She was cuddled into his chest, and he was telling her about a famous love story between two lovers, and she remembered listening, completely enthralled with it, and with him. Finally, when he was done, he turned to her and pulled out a ring. He told her than all he wanted to do was to do things that would be right for her. He told her that he loved her and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She had cried a bit, but had accepted gladly.

Killian and Liam had returned to the Navy a few months in. They never went anywhere too far, just small mission from time to time.

As she stood on the port, she was worried. This was the first time they had gone on a huge mission, and it was killing her to be separated from her husband for so long. It had been three months, and while he had always written to her, she missed him so much. She held her hands over her stomach, as she stood beside her mother and father. She could see the ship pull into harbour, and as soon as it fully docked, she ran aboard, and threw her hands around her husband.

"Killian," she gasped, as she held him close. He was slightly knocked off his feet, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her neck. She pulled away from him slowly so she could kiss his lips.

He looked slightly tired, but he had a huge smile on his face, "Emma," he said happily. "Oh Love, I've missed you so much."

Liam came over just then and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Good to see you Princess. Without you, my brother was a mopy mess, and he would spend hours just staring at the stars.

"You did?" Emma breathed as she looked at her Lieutenant.

"Aye, Love," he said softly. He looked down at her somewhat protruding stomach. "Uh, Lass, I don't mean to sound slightly rude, but…"

Liam snorted, "Nice going, Killian. You can't just say things like that."

"I'm pregnant," she said, somewhat amused at her husband's antics.

"You are?" Killian asked, surprised. "Emma, that's wonderful! I'm going to be a father! How far are you along?"

"Three months," Emma said. "It was probably the night before you left."

He hugged her tightly, and Liam offered his congratulations to them both. But there was one thing still worrying her.

"I just don't want to raise our child alone," Emma said, sounding insecure.

"You won't be," Killian assured her. "This was my final mission. I talked to your father, and we agreed that it was time I stepped down from the Navy and settled into court life."

"But you love the sea!" Emma said in shock.

"Not anywhere near as much as I love you," Killian said with a smile. "I want to be with you. And knowing you are with child has only cemented what I already knew. "

She kissed him again, happy to have someone like him in her life. She didn't know when it was that she got so lucky, but she was glad for it.

Six months later, they welcomed Henry Liam Jones into the world, and both parents were ecstatic. They had everything they could ever want with each other, and while Killian never sailed as a Lieutenant ever again, he made a point to take his family out sailing, both for diplomatic missions, and to go on tiny trips together. Emma knew she had many years before she had to ascend the throne, which made it easier to enjoy life. Liam eventually stepped down from the Navy, and found himself a wife, who he happened to have met on one of his journeys.

Her life was absolutely perfect, and there was nothing about it that she would change.

* * *

**A/N:** So here it is; my Lieutenant Duckling fic! Hope you all enjoyed it, and I would love to hear your thoughts.


End file.
